“How NOT to Micromanage”

I am regularly asked what can leaders do to stay on top of work assignments, yet NOT be guilty of micromanagement. I offer a couple of suggestions (please read and share with others!).

One, stop telling people HOW to do things! Get out of the weeds. Instead, use intent. Spend time carefully crafting your intent (essentially the what and why, also known as task & purpose) and share it regularly with your team. Let them determine the HOW. Then, before they start execution, have them share the HOW with you. This allows you to confirm they will get to the desired destination (i.e. achieve your intent) while empowering them to think for themselves and solve their own problems.

Let me offer a few things to help understand this concept. One, click here to see the article on how GE ran circles around their competitors in their high-end refrigerator line. Note especially the very clear use of intent in the 4th paragraph from the GE Appliances CEO. The rest is left to the team to make it happen. They won’t disappoint! Secondly, here is a blog on“intent” with a great military example on the importance of the leader’s role in providing intent for the team:

“Imagine your instructions are to storm a building, clear it of hostiles, then go secure the roof to make sure that it’s all safe. You storm the building and then head up to the roof. But, you have no cover. You’re fully exposed to any of the baddies that may be lurking around. But you follow orders and put your team in danger.

Now imagine the same scenario, but add the intent of the commander. You are told to set up on the roof so you can watch the north road to ensure that no one comes in on it. Knowing this and then seeing the roof with zero cover, you can make the decision to head down one floor to a room with the windows facing north. From this room you can watch the road (achieve the intent of the order) and keep your team out of obvious sight from everyone in the area.”

Some great examples on the importance of intent. Your team must hear and understand your intent very clearly, allowing them to make their own decisions and think for themselves, all based on their understanding of what exactly you expect from them. Clearly defining Purpose, End State, and any Key Tasks (the 3 elements of intent) will help give people enough clarity on the outcome, while still being broad enough guidance to allow them to figure things out on their own.

It is a simple concept but when you see the value, you can understand why this is such a powerful tool:

1.       Buy-in / Ownership. Let’s face it, when you provide the exact solution, you own it.  People give the bare minimum. When it is their solution, they won’t stop until it is successful. The pride and esteem that comes from seeing one’s ideas become real are immeasurable.

2.       Learning. Rather than forcing the leader to do all the thinking, this approach engages the full brain capacity of the entire team. As people figure things out on their own, consistent with the leader’s intent, they learn, they grow, and they prepare themselves for problem-solving at increasingly higher levels.

3.       Initiative. Know that when leaders offer up their solutions (i.e. they provide the HOW), that IS the only solution that will ever come to the surface. If instead, leaders offer intent and allow people to think on their own, the ideas never stop flowing.  Some may struggle (and learn along the way). Others may very well revolutionize your business. As with the GE example, organizations and leaders who incorporate this practice are setting the market for others, leading the way with new ideas, products, services, and initiatives that truly are game-changers.

4.       Time. When leaders dictate the HOW, they will find a long line outside their office every time the conditions change. When leaders provide INTENT, and people determine their own solutions, the line shortens and leaders can instead focus on what they SHOULD be doing (higher level thinking, coaching and staff development, etc.).

Win/win, right? This is how senior leaders communicate. They provide intent, confirm understanding, then monitor execution, focusing on the outcome – namely do people / teams achieve the intent?

If you are down in the weeds, try this approach. Use intent and help unlock the full capability of your high performance team.  Let your people think for themselves, solve their own problems, meet your expectations. Provide clarity on intent and set your people free. That’s…Leader Business!

P.S.  You should know that helping leaders understand intent…and many other concepts…are covered in our “Leadership Excellence Course” or leadership “Boot Camp.”  Maybe it is time for you, or your team members, to put a few tools like this in their leader tool box. I’d like to help. You can see information on this intense 3-day program -- HERE. Beginning with our upcoming program in LA (Downey, CA) at the end of the month, for which we have only a few remaining seats, we have plenty of opportunities for leaders to go to the next level.  Here is our schedule for the remainder of the year:

Upcoming Leadership Excellence Course Schedule:

30 Aug – 1 Sep                  Los Angeles, CA

20-22 September                San Diego, CA

18-20 October                    Inland Empire, CA

15-17 November                Orange County, CA

13-15 December                 Los Angeles, CA

Let me know if you have candidates and we’ll find a way to make it fit anyone’s budget and schedule! And, as a reminder, program graduates will receive 36 PDUs / CPEs for completing this program (for CPAs and PMP Project Managers, respectively).  Lead the Way!

Tell Your Story

Friends,

While on duty in Afghanistan a few years ago, I did my best to bring a video camera with me on every project visit. It was easy enough to have someone do the filming while I grabbed the local project engineer and asked a few questions about their efforts on the job. It was an opportunity to brag a little about the great people we had and the phenomenal jobs they were doing. Just as important, I wanted those who supported the efforts of those in the field, in my case the architects, contract specialists, and Human Resource professionals, to see the fruits of their labor. It was real progress and they needed to see it. 

Here is a link to one of the videos if you are interested:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqlooMqqZlY.  You don’t need to watch the whole thing to get the point! They are raw, with little editing, man-on-the-street interviews.  One take…never more!  Just turn on the camera and let it fly. You can see my guys added some additional background video stuff, easy enough to do these days.  But, the interviews themselves were just ad hoc. 

A great leader in Los Angeles County’s Public Works Department, Director Gail Farber, has been doing something very similar that you can see here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZppoGuv8ZI. I’ve seen some great videos recently from another great Public Works Department leader, Director Jeff Rigney, in San Bernardino County.  He just started doing his and has been getting awesome reviews from his “troops!”  For reference, we discussed doing these during the “Communication” module of the leadership programs we did with each of those leadership teams over the last few years.

The point is, the technology is there for us to communicate – both internally and externally. For senior leaders, this is a great way for you to reach all the way to the individual employee, to talk directly to them about what your organization does, the important purpose it fills for those you serve, and to highlight some of the superstars on your team.  And, for those who need external communication, why not put your messages on the public domain and let others see your many successes? It’s easy to do and, with a little practice, any one of you can be the next media star!

I was reading earlier today how important this communication is to our newest employees, those millennials. Remember, they have all grown up with an expectation for this sort of communication and the use of tools like YouTube, SnapChat, and Twitter. Meet them where they are and find new and innovative ways to connect people to purpose, you to them, team members to each other and to the customers you serve. 

Every one of the leaders I know, whether public or private sector, has a great story to tell. You are doing awesome projects, serving your customers to great effect, and with amazing people doing heroic tasks every day!  Get out there and tell it. Ahem…speak into the mike, please!

Lead the Way!  That’s Leader Business.

Upcoming Leadership Bootcamp Schedule:

30 August - 1 September | Los Angeles, CA

20 - 22 September | San Diego, CA

18 -20 October | Inland Empire, CA

15 - 17 November | Orange County, CA

13 - 15 December | Los Angeles, CA

Break out the Books...and Sharpen the Pencils

No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.  —Confucius

Leaders,

Can I ask you to take just a few minutes to read a short article that might very well change your life, if not your entire organization? Please don’t for a second let the military audience of the article convince you this is not relevant for your team. These are the words of one CEO (here of the U.S. Navy) to his employees.  Read it (please!) and then come back to my challenge to each of you below! http://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2016-06/now-hear-read-write-fight

How much are you and your team investing in reading & writing? I know I have mentioned this personally to many of you via our leadership programs. I truly believe these 2 action verbs are absolute requirements to be a professional. 

This was one of the first leadership lessons I learned at West Point. There I learned, not everyone can be part of a profession.  There is usually a barrier to entrance, whether education requirements, experience, etc. I am a professional engineer, for example.  To gain entry required a degree, studies in specific courses, passing the “Engineering Fundamentals” exam, apprenticeship as a young engineer, and then finally, passing the Professional Engineering (P.E.) exam. For those of you who went through similar “gates” to get to your status within your respective profession – congratulations. That is just the beginning!

Sustaining one’s membership in any profession is not guaranteed. One of the most important elements to do so is continuing education.  I believe that continuing education requirement is both for technical skills and leadership. The profession continues to evolve, requiring members who do the same. And, as I hope the article convinced you, that membership demands two important actions – reading and writing! 

So, I hope you will look at your investment in both of these areas. And not just for yourself, but for your organization. Admiral Richardson raises the bar for all of us in the article with 3 actions he has committed to do for his organization, and which I challenge all of you to consider: 

1.       Provide a list of books that have impacted your thinking and professional growth. Most of your leaders aspire to be like you when they grow up (it’s true!). Help them understand what has shaped your thoughts within the profession (again, both technically and as a leader).

2.       Help make those books available to your troops. What better investment can you make in your future leaders?

3.       Create a forum where your team can talk about what they are reading. Exciting, isn’t it? Talk to your IT guys. They’ll set up the framework. You can start some great discussions, one book at a time!

Finally, I always remind people of the second, and often more challenging, part -- writing. What do professionals read? Often, it is what other professionals have written. When was the last time you (or one of your team) contributed something meaningful for the profession? This is usually possible via trade association journals or magazines. But even if only published in your organization’s newsletter, think about what this does for the team. Create a forum where people can contribute lessons learned, collaborate on new ideas and initiatives. You all are doing cool stuff. Tell people about it! As the Admiral says, “As reading leads to broader thinking, writing leads to clearer thinking.” 

Writing is hard. Writing without jargon, passive voice, circular arguments, and meaningless catch-phrases is even more of a challenge – especially for those of us in organizations whose writing is all of that (try reading some of your policy memos!). I say this with confidence, and from a place of love, because I have read your writings (well, most of you…via your leadership philosophies)! But, I have the solution, and it is simple. Write! The more you do it, the better you will get. Writing will help you connect the dots in your head, making sense out of chaos, and providing the clarity of thought that the Admiral suggests, and your organization needs. Take his advice though, and ask someone you respect to give you feedback before you throw yourself into the arena! I’m happy to help!

So, I’m challenging all of you, no matter where you are in your respective organization. Make a commitment to “Break out the books and sharpen the pens!” It will make you a better professional and, perhaps more important, could be the forcing function for your entire team to raise the bar. As I mentioned up front, it might very well change your life. It did for me! Heck, if the NAVY can do it…we all can! (I had to say it!)

Have a great week. As always, don’t hesitate to let me know how I can help in this or any other areas of your professional journey.  Lead the Way! That's Leaders Business!

Tom Magness

P.S. Our next Leadership “Boot Camp” is scheduled for 30 August – 1 September (www.academyleadership.com/magness).  Let me know if you have candidates.  All of them will get a heavy dose of both reading and writing, plus much more!

Engagement Matters

Government Official Accused of Cover-Up....

Agency Head Pleads Ignorance on Actions of Subordinates....

$1.2M spent on Operators of Fully-Automated "Members Only" Capitol Elevator....

Can we all agree that leadership in government agencies at all levels matters today more than ever?  It is unquestionably a challenging environment -- shrinking budgets (at least at the state and local level), an increasingly disengaged workforce, and disparaging comments from all sides.  But aren't these the conditions in which proven, effective leaders have to step up?  Come on, people.  We are better than this!!!  Where are the LEADERS???

Federal Times had an article last month that suggested that over half of federal workers in some offices were looking for an exit (see the article here).  Now, before you applaud and wish them farewell, let's look at this another way.  These people are, for the most part, just like the rest of us, just as capable, and just as well educated.  I've worked with many of them and they are mostly solid professionals who want to do well, serve their communities, and take care of their people.  Losing half of them and then having to hire and train replacements is not the solution.  If you are hoping for greater efficiency -- that is not the answer!

What we need in government are real, no kidding, leaders!  Leaders who know the importance of the mission and do not quit until they've met it.  Leaders who don't make excuses and who hold themselves and their people accountable.  Leaders who don't think "Bigger is Better" but rather that "Better is Better."  Leaders who measure their output not by the size of their budget or their department but rather by the satisfaction of their customers, their speed of delivery, and the value (output/cost) of their deliverables.  Leaders who take care of their people, deal with conflict, manage priorities, coach for performance, and invest in the growth and development of their people.  Is this too much to ask?

The Federal Times article points to general dis-engagement among the workforce:  “When people are not engaged, they are looking for other jobs, and when they are looking for other jobs, they are not giving their discretionary energy to accomplish the organization’s goals and objectives.”  In other words, I'll put it this way...IT'S THE LEADERSHIP, STUPID!

If dis-engagement is the problem, then leaders have a direct responsibility to address the problem.  Fast Company, in "The Costs of Ignoring Employee Engagement," suggests that organizations (and I would argue both in the public and private sector) with high employee engagement reap the following performance outcomes:

* 37% lower absenteeism
* 25% lower turnover (in high-turnover organizations)
* 65% lower turnover (in low-turnover organizations)
* 28% less shrinkage
* 48% fewer safety incidents
* 41% fewer patient safety incidents
* 41% fewer quality incidents (defects)
* 10% higher customer metrics
* 21% higher productivity
* 22% higher profitability

Now...I don't know about "28% less shrinkage."  Sounds like something from a Seinfeld episode!!  But these are all positive results from leaders who get out from behind their computers and directly engage their employees. These are organizations with character, led by leaders who set the tone for their organization.  This is what we get from real, positive, purposeful leadership.  The same article then goes on to suggest these 5 things that leaders can do to influence this:

1. The organization is the most powerful influencer of employee engagement. In other words, the structure of management systems and processes heavily affect the level of a worker’s interest in his or her job.

2. There is no single “right model” for a high-performance culture; the most effective approach depends on an organization’s strategic priorities.  Leaders determine the appropriate approach and work tirelessly to ensure penetration to every level of the organization.

3. Employees are eager to invest more of themselves to help the company succeed, but want to understand what’s in it for them.  Leaders get the most from their people.  Employees willingly align their best efforts to acheive the best for the team.

4. Senior leaders need to make the leap to a more inspirational and engaging style of leadership to help drive higher engagement.  Don't lead through email.  Get up, get out, and get going!

5. Companies need to understand their employees as well as they understand their customers to design a work environment and experience that will drive higher engagement and performance. Find out what it takes to motivate people, each of whom is different, and ENGAGE!!

So, if you are a leader and you read these areas, insert your name where you see, "Companies need to...."  This is what we expect from our leaders, who recognize that effective organizations are the direct result of effective, engaged employees.  There are no excuses for not doing this.  Don't blame the budget cuts or point fingers at someone or something else.  YOU, Mr. or Mrs. Government Leader, are responsible for your people and everything they do. 

For the rest of us, let's demand better from our public sector leaders. Let's insist that public sector leaders go through rigoruous selection processes to determine if they are cut out for leadership and that there is an appropriate injection of leadership training throughout their professional journey. Let's ensure that before we appoint people to positions in which they must balance budgets, hire/fire, establish a culture of innovation and character, and take on increasingly challenging and complex issues, that they have the bona fides to do so. 

In other words, let's demand the same thing from the public sector that we expect from those in the private sector.  No more/no less.  These things are fixable.  Competent, well-trained leaders can identify priorities and effectively set goals.  Capable leaders can communicate with their team and create a motivational climate.  Effective leaders can engage their people and set the conditions for organizational success.  I have seen pockets of excellence at the municipal, county, state, and federal level.  So, there are no excuses.  Don't make us go all "Donald Trump" on you.  Step up and start leading.

If we don't, this problem will only get worse.  Leadership truly matters.  Now more than ever.  And that...as the picture below suggests, is Leader Business!!